Two more commit to Dawgs

Charles Odum

01/29/2002

If it is able to sign its full allotment of 25 and still remain under its overall limit of 85 scholarships, Georgia still can add five signees. Coach Mark Richt has not said if he will sign as many as 25.
"Let's just say it will be a big class,'' Richt said last week.

Mario Raley, rated as one of the nation's top 20 receivers, and fullback Chris Hickman have joined Georgia's list of verbal commitments this week.

Raley, rated as the nation's No. 19 receiver by Insiders.com/CNNSI, caught 100 passes for 1,504 yards and 27 touchdowns in his senior season for Independence High School in Charlotte, N.C.

Raley, the first receiver to say he will sign with the Bulldogs, picked Georgia over South Carolina. He also recently visited Virginia Tech. Hickman, from Wheeler High in Marietta, hopes to follow the path of Verron Haynes as a walk-on who earned a scholarship and starting job. Hickman (6-0, 225) hopes to earn a scholarship as early as January but says he is content to begin his career as a walk-on.

Hickman's willingness to join the program as a walk-on is important, because Georgia is running out of scholarships as it approaches signing day next Wednesday. Raley gives Georgia 24 verbal commitments who would be signed to scholarships. Four already enrolled will count toward the 2001 signing class, bringing the 2002 total down to 20.

Mario Raley commits to the Dawgs

If it is able to sign its full allotment of 25 and still remain under its overall limit of 85 scholarships, Georgia still can add five signees. Coach Mark Richt has not said if he will sign as many as 25.